When the Pacers play the Cavs, we're treated to a tug of war between teams with opposing styles. The Cavs want to slow the game down and play in the half court. The Pacers want to speed things up and play in transition. For three quarters, the Pacers were winning the contest both in style and on the scoreboard. It looked like, gasp, they might steal the game. For three quarters, that is.

When the fourth quarter began and "winning time" rolled around, the better team shifted into a gear the Pacers simply couldn't match. The Cavs' defensive intensity was overwhelming, only allowing 18 points in the final frame. The Pacers couldn't return the favor and suffered a 115-105 loss as a result.

The Cavs got another big game from their marquee player. Donovan Mitchell scored 40, becoming the first player in franchise history to score 40+ points in three consecutive games. This marks his 12th 40 point game of the season, also a franchise record. Considering who's played for the Cavs, those records carry a little extra weight.  

The Pacers were led by Bennedict Mathurin, who tallied 19 points and nine rebounds, but his three fourth quarter offensive fouls put a damper on an otherwise solid outing. Jordan Nwora continued his streak of being a pleasant surprise with a 15 point, 10 rebound double-double.

The loss officially eliminates the Pacers from the play-in game, meaning the season will end a week from today.

Highlights

Ramifications

From a draft perspective, the Pacers had a good night. Portland, San Antonio, and Orlando all won, while Houston lost.

As a result, the Pacers currently sit with the 6th worst record in the league, a half-game ahead of Washington and a half-game behind Portland. Both Washington and Portland have a game in hand, so we're rooting for them each to win at least once more.

The Houston loss and San Antonio win creates a 1.5 game buffer between the two teams. It's going to be close, but it still looks like we'll get the Rockets pick in the second round.

While we're eliminated from the playoffs, the final week of the season is far from meaningless. Lots of standings watching to come.

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